April 10, 2017 - No. 029
In This Issue
Boeing 737 turns 50
GE Aviation applies to EASA for new aerobatic turboprop engine certification
RUAG integrates pilot assistance and safety solution on EC635 for NATO DVE flight trials
Technical University of Kenya (TUK) lands high tech aviation training devices
Inmarsat exceeds 1,000 aircraft in contract for in-flight broadband connectivity
University research teams to study potential aeronautical innovations
HondaJet Makes Chinese Debut At ABACE Show
DEA and RotorSchmiede celebrate successful first flight of VA115 ultra light Co-axial
helicopter
Hong Kong's air traffic control system suffers another glitch
Musk: SpaceX Could Reuse 100% of Major Rocket Components by Next Year
Boeing 737 turns 50
Boeing's 737, the world's most common airliner, turned 50 over the weekend: the single-aisle
workhorse first took to the skies on April 9th, 1967.
The first versions of the plane were feeble by today's standards: the 737 100 "boasted" a range of
just 1,150 miles (1,850km) and offering just 107 seats. Both of those features were, however, a
little better than rival planes of the time like the DC-9.
Also saving money was a design that pinched elements of Boeing's 707 and 727 while allowing the
plane to operate with a flight crew of just two. The first models were also easily adapted to fly
people, cargo, or both. The design also called for low maintenance so that the plane could be used
to reach destinations where ground support was minimal. Boeing even offered a "gravel kit" to
allow use of unpaved runways.
The plane was not a big hit in its early years: for four years in the 1970s Boeing shipped fewer than
30 planes. But it - pardon the pun - took off in the 1980s as airline deregulation and rising middle
class incomes increased demand for air travel.
Early in the 1980s decade Boeing refreshed the plane, adding the 737-300, 737-400 and 737-500
to the range and adopting a distinctive non-circular engine inlet. Range and capacity increased, as
did fuel economy, and the plane started selling a hundred or more units a year.
In the early 1990s another round of updates produced the "Next Generation 737", complete with
distinctive winglets, seat counts of 149 on the model -600 and 700, 189 on the 737-800 and a
whopping 220 seats and 5,400km range for the top-of-the-range model 737-900ER. It's a versatile
craft: your correspondent has flow in them for 35-minute commuter hops, the five-and-a-half-hour
Sydney-to-Perth slog and on the three-and-a-half hour Sydney-to-Auckland ride that shows off its
180-minute ETOPS rating.
The plane soon won a reputation for reliability and became a favourite of low-cost airlines. The two
paragons of that model, Southwest and Ryanair, made a virtue of operating all-737 fleets, further
accelerating demand for air travel and for more 737s.
Boeing can therefore now deliver 737s at a rate of more than one a day and has unfilled orders for
more than 4,500 of the planes on its books.
Many of those orders are for the new "737MAX" variant, sporting the X-wing - officially the
"Advanced Technology Winglet" - that will again reduce fuel consumption and noise. Boeing will
start shipping the new variant in May 2017 and they'll start to appear at the world's airports not
long afterwards.
Other orders are for the military variants of the 737 that see the plane used for reconnaissance or
cargo missions. There's also a "business jet" variant for those who can afford their own plane.
All those variants have added up to 9,448 shipments, making it the world's most popular airliner.
It's also been involved in 168 accidents that have seen the aircraft written off as a result, and over
3,000 fatalities. «
https://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/04/10/boeing_737_turns_50/
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GE Aviation applies to EASA for new aerobatic turboprop engine certification
GE Aviation has requested the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to grant a type certification
for its new H Series aerobatic turboprop engine.
The company is expected to receive the certification by next year.
Developed to feature in GE Aviation's new Electronic Engine and Propeller Control (EEPC) system,
the aerobatic engine is designed for leisure for light aircraft training in the 550-850shp range.
The EEPC system allows the control of both the engine and propeller operation with a single lever,
as well as reduces pilot workload and provides automatic limiting functions.
Suitable for various agricultural, business turboprops, commuter and utility aircraft, the H Series
turboprop family includes GE's 3D aerodynamic design techniques and advanced materials.
The fuel-efficient engine does not require frequent fuel nozzle or intermediate hot section
inspection.
GE business and general aviation turboprops president and managing executive Norman Baker
said: "We continue to invest in the H Series product line, as well as the turboprop market, to
develop innovative solutions for our customers.
"It will be best-in-class in terms of performance and technology to meet the rugged demands of the
high-performance turboprop market."
Last December, the company received type certification from EASA for its H Series engine with the
EEPC system.
The approval was followed by the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) type certificate in
March.
The integrated EEPC and H Series engine system has already been selected for four aircraft
applications.
http://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/newsge-aviation-applies-to-easa-for-new-aerobatic-
turboprop-engine-certification-5782861
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RUAG integrates pilot assistance and safety solution on EC635 for NATO DVE flight trials
RUAG Aviation integrated a pilot assistance and helicopter safety solution on the Airbus Helicopters
EC635, on behalf of the Swiss Air Force, for use in recent North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO)-sponsored trials. The goal of the international trials cited technology-testing for enhancing
safety during helicopter operations in limited visibility environments.
Held at ─lggialp, Switzerland, the NATO trials focused on degraded visual environments (DVE)
caused specifically by snow or whiteout conditions. The Swiss DVE whiteout trials operated out of
the Swiss Air Force helicopter base in Alpnach, Switzerland, where RUAG Aviation also maintains an
independent Center of Excellence for helicopter maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO).
The DVE trials ran from Feb. 20 to 23, 2017.
The NATO DVE trials were held in the interest of technology and knowledge sharing, across
international borders, on solutions specifically designed to improve safety and mitigate risk for both
pilots and helicopters. RUAG Aviation became a key player in the NATO whiteout trials, integrating
the pilot assistance and helicopter safety system in use during the event into the EC635 platform
belonging to the Swiss Air Force. This helicopter acts as a capability demonstrator and will be used
for further live tests.
The Sferion based solution - initially developed by Airbus DS Electronics & Border Security GmbH -
is specifically configured to be integrated into any helicopter platform.
"Amid prototypes and various research projects, this integration showcased the vast and thorough
helicopter systems and engineering expertise amassed by RUAG Aviation from our continuing work
on behalf of the Swiss and German Air Forces, as well as for helicopter emergency services (HEMS)
and civil operators," said Claudio Zeiter, team leader commercial helicopter services, RUAG
Aviation. "We are pleased to have been able to make such a significant contribution to these DVE
whiteout trials and allow the international community to experience precisely how systems and
technologies can interact to provide improved visualization and enhanced safety for both pilot and
machine during DVE conditions."
DVE is widely-recognized as a significant issue, concerning the entire helicopter community, public
and private. It is one of the pressing issues which RUAG Aviation addresses in its function as an
independent aircraft services provider and systems integrator for military and civil operators
worldwide.
Civil operators can rely on outstanding engineering support, benefiting from the company's
European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) certification as an approved Part 21J Design Organization
(DOA) and decades of system integrations expertise for business jet, business and HEMS helicopter,
as well as military aircraft platforms.
https://www.verticalmag.com/press-releases/ruag-integrates-pilot-assistance-safety-solution-
ec635-nato-dve-flight-trials/
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Technical University of Kenya (TUK) lands high tech aviation training devices
Aerospace and Aviation Engineering programme students at Technical University of Kenya (TUK)
can now afford hands-on training on a high-tech CF6-80A2 aircraft engine that powers Airbus A310
and Boeing 767.
The CF6-80A2 engine manufactured by General Electric (GE) (www.GE.com) along with aviation
maintenance training books, training aids, reading materials, used aircraft parts and aircraft
manuals were donated today by Kenya Airways (www.Kenya-Airways.com), GE and Boeing as a
joint initiative to enable capacity building in aviation training schools in the region.
Speaking during the handover ceremony held at the Technical University of Kenya, Kenya Airways,
Strategy and Performance Management Director Thomas Omondi said, "Our donation today further
strengthens our commitment to ensure a stronger foundation of aeronautical knowledge, skills and
more experience to aviation technicians and engineers even as they prepare for job market either
with us or elsewhere. We are extremely happy to support the next generation of aircraft
maintenance engineers".
On his part, Regional Sales Director for GE Aviation in Africa Dr. Rajiv Bissessur said, "As Africa's
aviation industry continues to grow, the need for skilled aviation professionals in the region is also
on the rise, and GE Aviation is proud to play a role in the skill development efforts underway at the
Technical University of Kenya."
"The donated CF6 engine will enable aeronautical engineering students to experience hands-on
learning with one of the most popular wide body aircraft engine in service today and increase the
pool of talented aviation experts that will be needed to service the needs of the airlines in Africa
and around the world." Rajiv added.
Receiving the training equipment's, Vice Chancellor Technical University of Kenya Prof. F.W.O Aduol
hailed the partnership and said, "This donation will provide the much needed practical and research
orientation to our technician and engineering students and thus increase their competitiveness. This
will make us the University of Choice for aspiring aviation professionals in the region".
TU-K is one of the three universities in sub-Saharan Africa that offers Bachelor of Aeronautical
Engineering.
Distributed by APO on behalf of GE.
About Kenya Airways: Kenya Airways (www.Kenya-Airways.com), a member of the Sky Team
Alliance, is a leading African airline flying to 52 destinations worldwide, 42 of which are in Africa
and carries over three million passengers annually. It continues to modernize its fleet with its 41
aircraft being some of the youngest in Africa. This includes its flagship B787 Dreamliner aircrafts.
The on-board service is renowned and the lie-flat business class seat on the wide-body aircraft is
consistently voted among the world's top 10. Kenya Airways takes pride for being in the forefront of
connecting Africa to the World and the World to Africa through its hub at the new ultra-modern
Terminal 1A at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi. Kenya Airways celebrated 40
years of operations in January 2017 while KQ Cargo was named African Cargo Airline of the year
2017. For more information, please visit www.Kenya-Airways.com.
About GE: GE (NYSE: GE) (www.GE.com) is the world's Digital Industrial Company, transforming
industry with software-defined machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and
predictive. GE is organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store," through which
each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets, structure and intellect. Each
invention further fuels innovation and application across our industrial sectors. With people,
services, technology and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the
language of industry.
http://www.einnews.com/pr_news/375282100/technical-university-of-kenya-tuk-lands-high-tech-
aviation-training-devices
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Inmarsat exceeds 1,000 aircraft in contract for in-flight broadband connectivity
Global mobile satellite communications provider Inmarsat has secured more than 1,000 aircraft
under signed contracts, including installed and backlog, for its next-generation GX Aviation and
European Aviation Network (EAN) in-flight broadband services.
The backlog contracts cover aircraft that have either been installed or are awaiting installation.
A range of airlines comprising International Airlines Group (IAG), Air New Zealand, Singapore
Airlines, Norwegian Air and Air Asia have already selected Inmarsat's GX Aviation and EAN services.
Last year, German carrier Lufthansa Group began installing the GX Aviation on its aircraft fleet,
becoming the first company to install the service.
More than 50 Lufthansa aircraft have so far been equipped with the Inmarsat in-flight broadband
service, with plans to bring 200 aircraft under the service by the end of this year.
Inmarsat aviation president Leo Mondale said: "The fact we have crossed more than 1,000 aircraft
in backlog at this point is an incredible milestone, given that GX Aviation only went live a few
months ago.
"It is further proof that the inflight broadband revolution has truly begun; passengers are
demanding quality connectivity, and airlines are endorsing Inmarsat's superior offering.
"We are deeply engaged with additional airlines worldwide, so this really is just the tip of the
iceberg."
Earlier this year, Inmarsat signed a deal with International Airlines Group (IAG) to launch its EAN
service that will provide in-flight broadband across Europe.
IAG seeks to equip more than 300 aircraft across partner airlines British Airways, Aer Lingus, Iberia
and Vueling, as well as aims to have 90% of its short-haul fleet completed by early 2019.
http://www.aerospace-technology.com/news/newsinmarsat-exceeds-1000-aircraft-in-contract-for-
in-flight-broadband-connectivity-5781539
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University research teams to study potential aeronautical innovations
Imagine an aircraft structure that can change its shape in flight to reduce the sonic boom noise
produced by supersonics airplanes.
Or imagine an airliner that can take-off and fly with a quiet and energy efficient electric propulsion
system.
These are two of five examples of the transformative system-level aviation innovations NASA has
selected for potential awards to university teams that will have them spend as long as five years
exploring novel ideas for improving aviation, all in support of the agency's strategic research goals
for aeronautics.
"These awards further enhance the strong relationship we have with our university partners," said
Jaiwon Shin, NASA's associate administrator for aeronautics. "We expect the awards will spur the
Nation's leading universities to take a larger leadership role in advancing the revolutionary ideas
needed to transform aviation and further advance U.S. global leadership in the aviation
community."
Total value of the five research awards from NASA Aeronautics' University Leadership Initiative over
five years is expected to be no more than $50 million.
"Potential outcomes of the research could include revolutionary technologies, operational concepts,
design tools, models, or other advancements we can't even begin to characterize today," said Doug
Rohn, director of NASA's Transformative Aeronautics Concepts Program.
One key idea in the selection process was that NASA did not specify the research topics or
disciplines for the schools to pursue, which distinguishes ULI from a standard NASA research award.
Instead, universities were asked to come up on their own with the most compelling investigations,
so long as that technical challenge addressed one of the agency's main aviation research goals.
In addition to the technical challenges, another goal of ULI is to develop the ability of these
university researchers to lead diverse, multi-disciplinary teams. In many cases, the teams include
members from academia and industry, including those who may not have an aviation background,
but whose expertise offers the potential for technology convergence. In addition, teams are
encouraged to reach out broadly to universities that serve underrepresented student
populations. These diverse partnerships are expected to bring different perspectives that contribute
to novel, innovative approaches.
"With ULI we want to provide a forum for U.S. universities to show their leadership in innovation to
contribute to our nation's aviation community," Rohn said.
The university teams selected for negotiations leading to a potential award are:
* University of South Carolina for research into advanced, wireless communication networks to
enhance the safety and efficiency of air traffic management with both piloted aircraft and drones.
* Texas A&M Engineering Experiment Station, for research into designing commercial supersonic
aircraft that could modify their shape during a flight to help minimize noise from sonic booms.
* University of Tennessee, Knoxville, for research into designing an ultra-efficient aerodynamic wing
that could enable significant savings in fuel or energy consumption.
* Ohio State University, for research into electric propulsion, including areas of battery and energy
storage and thermal management, among others.
* Arizona State University, for research into safely integrating the complex set of data sources that
will drive future air traffic management systems.
For more information about NASA's aeronautics research, visit http://www.nasa.gov/aero.
http://www.aerotechnews.com/blog/2017/04/07/university-research-teams-to-study-potential-
aeronautical-innovations/
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HondaJet Makes Chinese Debut At ABACE Show
The HondaJet is one of the stars of the 2017 ABACE show where it is making its debut. The new
light jet has been developed by the U.S.-based Honda Aircraft subsidiary of Japan's Honda Motor
Co. at Greensboro, North Carolina.
Deliveries began after initial U.S. FAA certification was achieved back in December 2015, and this
was followed by approval from Europe's EASA agency in May 2016. As of the end of March, the
manufacturer had delivered 37 of this innovative aircraft. According to Honda Aircraft president and
CEO Michimasa Fujino it intends to deliver around 60 more in its next fiscal year, which starts in
April 2017 and runs to the end of March 2018. There are more than 100 HondaJets on order, and in
November the company increased production rates from four to five per month.
To date, no sales have been logged in the Asia Pacific region but Fujino told AIN that he expects
this to change soon. "There has been some strong interest from Asia and that's why we're coming
to the ABACEshow, because we want to verify this interest," he commented.
Fujino and his team believe that the technology delivered by the HondaJet represents such a leap
forward in the private jet market that it will significantly expand the light jet segment. So far, the
aircraft has attracted interest from a mix of private individuals (some of them wanting to pilot their
own aircraft), companies and, increasingly, charter operators who could open the door to larger
fleet sales.
According to Fujino, rising wealth across Asia is paving the way for market expansion, with China
now having one of the world's highest concentrations of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs). For
now, the ratio of private aircraft per HNWI in China is 2.6, whereas in North America it is around
18, according to Honda.
"[For domestic flights in China] most cities are within the [2,266 km/1,223 nmi] range of the
HondaJet," explained Fujino. Another advantage that the aircraft has in a country with limited
airport infrastructure is its ability to land on less than 3,050 feet of runway and take off with just
4,000 feet.
"And business people in China are now more focused on efficiency [rather than aircraft size]. He
maintained that the younger generation of wealthy Chinese is "very particular about their lifestyle
and the quality of the products they buy." In his view, these factors play to the strengths of the
Honda brand.
Beyond China, Fujino sees prospects for the HondaJet in other strong Asia Pacific economies,
including Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore. He feels that his native Japan may also be ready for
an aircraft in this class, but observed that, "this may have to wait until some more [airport]
infrastructure is available."
The HondaJet boasts a higher maximum cruise altitude than most aircraft in its class, at 43,000
feet versus no more than 41,000 feet. It can cruise at up to 422 knots (781 km/h) and, according
to Honda Aircraft, has 17 percent better fuel efficiency than direct competitors.
The journey from Greensboro, North Carolina, to Shanghai for this week's ABACE show is the
HondaJet's longest yet. The direct distance is 6,624 nm (12,258 km), but the aircraft made multiple
stops on the way. Previously, it has flown to Japan and also to South America.
Following the ABACE show, the HondaJet is due to visit Hong Kong International airport next week
on April 19 and Taipei Songshan Airport on April 21.
https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-04-07/hondajet-makes-chinese-
debut-abace-show
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DEA and RotorSchmiede celebrate successful first flight of VA115 ultra light Co-axial
helicopter
DEA General Aviation company, Germany's RotorSchmiede returns to AERO Friedrichshafen, the
global show for general aviation this week (5th to 8th April) hard on the heels of the first flight of
its single-seat, ultra light Co-axial VA115 helicopter. On March 27th, 2017 the fully instrumented
VA115 prototype (D-MPVA) successfully demonstrated its agility and precision during sunny spring
weather, cheered by Andrej Vlasov and Vitali Brandt, key architects of this innovative project.
Prior to this, the RotorSchmiede team, under the guidance of CEO Dr Hanns-Walter Schulz, Head of
Serial Development, prepared flight tests in co-operation with Luftfahrtbundesamt (LBA), Oskar-
Ursinus-Vereinigung (OUV) and the Deutsche Ultraleichtflugverband (DULV). This co-operation
resulted in 'Permit to Fly' approval, just weeks after the German Government set in place the legal
requirements for the ultra light helicopter class in Germany - at the end of 2016.
RotorSchmiede becomes the first company to obtain official approval based on the new
airworthiness requirements for ultra-light helicopters. "We are bringing a new generation of
helicopters to the general public," commented DEA CEO Mike Creed at the Show this week.
The RotorSchmiede VA119 is displaying on the DEA Stand - Hall A7 Booth No 311.
The successful first flight is a major milestone not only for the VA115 programme, but also for the
entire planned helicopter portfolio of RotorSchmiede. With is Co-axial rotor system, RotorSchmiede
has defined a family of ultra light helicopters which all take advantage of co-axial systems.
At the 2017 AERO Show, RotorSchmiede is also highlighting plans for its VA250 (the first double
seat ultra-light helicopter, weighing 250kg), having already started work on the design
concept. To be readied for 2018, it will be able to carry two passengers inside a weatherproof
cabin. The two UAV versions of the VA115 and VA250 will create new possibilities in industrial and
commercial applications: The unmanned VA115, for example, will be highly suitable in a crop
spraying role, capable of spraying up to 110 litres of fertilizer efficiently with the help of the rotor
downwash. Alternatively, the unmanned VA250 cargo hook can transport up to 350 kg of external
load.
RotorSchmiede is currently evaluating various industrial applications to develop special unmanned
vehicles based on its Co-axial technology and manned helicopters.
RotorSchmiede GmbH is part of the DEA General Aviation Group of China. This means it can
effectively share the competences of other partner companies in the Group, including XtremeAir
GmbH (the manufacturer of EASA certified full-carbon aerobatic and sport aircraft), HIRTH GmbH
(G÷bler-HirthmotorenGmbH & Co. KG) - a UAV propulsion specialist offering 2 to 4-stroke engines
for UAV and ultralight applications) and Mistral Engines SA (providing rotary piston engines in the
power range of 200 - 300 hp).
https://www.suasnews.com/2017/04/dea-rotorschmiede-celebrate-successful-first-flight-va115-
ultra-light-co-axial-helicopter/
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Hong Kong's air traffic control system suffers another glitch
The new air traffic control system suffered another glitch on Saturday when operators temporarily
lost information on the positioning and altitude of a large number of flights.
This triggered the deployment of a back-up system for the first time since the HK$1.56 billion
technology went live at the airport in November.
The incident happened less than a week after the system was given a clean bill of health by the
Civil Aviation Department.
The problem lasted for 15 minutes but flights over Hong Kong airspace and in and out of the airport
were not affected, authorities said. Controllers could still maintain audio and satellite contact with
aircraft, the department added.
In a contradictory statement a spokeswoman said: "All of the information of the majority of flights
was shown. Only a minority of flights could only show their positioning and altitude."
Aviation and engineering experts insist the Raytheon Auto Trac III system is safe and reliable. The
same experts were originally called in to help the department after a number of snags earlier,
including flights disappearing from screens, false information appearing and planes flying too close
to each other.
Contractors were hauled before the aviation regulator to explain the snags. Technicians concluded
there were too many controllers logging onto the system, the department said.
It has asked the contractor to submit a detailed report next week and come up with a solution.
Jeremy Tam Man-ho, a lawmaker and professional pilot, described the latest glitch as a "slap in the
face" of the official report, which stated the Raytheon system was 99.9 per cent reliable.
"Certainly it is alarming. In the past, we had flights disappear or planes come too close together,
but we have never had a case that we had to use a back-up system," he said.
"All these teething problems have been going on since day one."
Civil aviation director Simon Li Tin-chui said during the release of the report last week that he could
not rule out further "minor teething issues".
Secretary for Transport and Housing Professor Anthony Cheung Bing-leung said the latest problem
was "not a serious incident".
"Any system has a back-up. For the sake of safety, it's better to deploy the back-up system. This is
a very normal safe management operation."
http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/economy/article/2086072/hong-kongs-air-traffic-control-
system-suffers-another-glitch
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Musk: SpaceX Could Reuse 100% of Major Rocket Components by Next Year
Following his company's first successful re-use of the first stage of a Falcon 9 rocket, and its first-
ever recovery of a protective nose cone, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk revealed on Friday that he was
aiming to be able to reuse every part of the rocket by late 2018.
If and when it proves possible, reuse of all of the major components of a rocket would have a
profound effect on SpaceX's bottom line, and on the economics of space more broadly. The sticker
price of a Falcon 9 launch is $61.2 million, which analysts have estimated would come down about
20% with re-use of only the first stage, while increasing SpaceX's profit margin per launch by
around 50%.
Those benefits would only be amplified by full reusability, which would leave fuel-at $200,000-
$300,000 per mission-as the primary material cost for launches.
The CEO of SpaceX competitor Arianespace, though, has said the full upside of reusability would
only be realized if components were launched 35 to 40 times a year. Since 2013, SpaceX has
completed fewer than ten launches per year.
SpaceX certainly seems to be aiming for greatly increased launch volume. Musk has said he hopes
to achieve 24-hour turnaround on reusable rockets soon, ultimately creating what some have
described as an interplanetary railroad that would take humans to Mars and beyond.
http://fortune.com/2017/04/09/musk-spacex-reusable-rocket/
Curt Lewis